What Happens On the Couch Stays On the Couch
by CutewithAcapital-Q
Summary: Ron's up late working, Hermione stayed up with him. Cute but a little sad. Takes place in 5th/6th year. SOoo close to 3500 hits! Come on Guys Keep up that reading! Alternate ending finally up! And COMPLETE! Please read and enjoy and Review!
1. Anything Can Happen on a Couch

WHao!! **OVER 3200 HITS! **I Love you all!! Thank you thank you!!

A/N: In reality I only liked the imagary of Hermione's movement on the couch then I decided to write a Fic around it. Please Enjoy and Review!

As always I Own nothing

What Happens On the Couch Stays On the Couch

Ron was in the common room sleepily sitting on the couch by the fire doing his homework. It was clearly after midnight, and as fifth years were usually up late working anyway, Ron also had to cope with his ever failing attempt of keeping for the house quittitch team. He was half way to his book bag, to find a new inkwell, when he heard a small breath in the silence of the dark room. He glanced once to end of the couch carelessly, and his head turned almost half way back to the ground when his realized what was breathing next to him.

He sat bolt upright as he stared in curiosity at one dreamily sleeping Hermione. Ron looked at her with utter befuddlement for the good part a minute, wondering how she could have been there the whole with out him noticing once. He looked away trying to retrace every person whom he was said good night to, finding Hermione's was never made. He figured she dozed off after most everyone left, and he had been so absorbed in working he had guessed by the silence that he was alone and hadn't bothered to look. He decided to send her to bed.

"Hermione," he said as he cupped his hand over his mouth.

No response.

Ron cleared his throat loudly and tried again more directly," Hermione."

She jerked awake gibbering, "E=mc2!"

"What?" Ron said really confused.

Hermione, also obviously very confused, spun her head in all directions having no idea where she was or who she was next to. When she came to her senses she stuttered, "No-nothing, muggle stuff. Wh… how long have you been there watching me?" she scratched neck insecurely and squinted at him in the firelight.

"Well, I noticed you there about three minutes ago," Ron admitted bewilder and a little embarrassed, "I was gonna ask you the same question."

"I dunnoooo" Hermione yawned, "I remember giving you the spell to transfigure large objects."

"Wow you have been out for a long time, I finished transfigurations hours ago."

"So what do you need?"

"Huh?"

"You don't want me to help you?" she said incredulously. "Oh well… I was thinking you'd check it in the morning, but I'm fine right now,' Ron's ears pinkened. "Oh well then," Hermione flattened out her robes about to leave.

"Wait," Ron's voice cracked in the silence, he wanted an excuse to keep her there as long as possible suddenly, having someone with him made him much more comfortable. He bit his lip as his eyes shifted about the room for an excuse.

"Well, I…I might need you for Snape's essay."

"Sure hand it here," she was rather keen to stay as well, but Ron really didn't care why. She limply stretched out her arm.

"Er… well I haven't got it yet," Ron's ears were now red, as he looked between Hermione and her arm.

"Oh," She said carelessly, "not like I've got to go to bed just for another three hours so I can wake up again," reading her watch.

"You'll wait?"

She made a weak smile of agreement.

"Okay," Ron turned back to his bag to get the new inkwell. He sat up and began writing again. It was only a few minutes before the common room was plunged into silence as before, "You know, you don't have to…Hermione?"

Ron looked up, and once more, Hermione was asleep.

"Hermione!" he quietly exclaimed.

Her eyelids shot up, "hmm?"

"What's the point of your staying up when you're going to sleep anyway?"

"O.K. Ron, I promise I won't fall asleep, and if I do you'll be able to wake me up."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Ron, now get back to work."

He rolled his eyes back down to his paper. The next question really stumped him. He leaned back and put his arm around the back of the couch. Suddenly Hermione, asleep yet again, stretched across the couch, wrapped her arms around Ron's torso, and rested that bushy haired head of hers on Ron's chest, as if Ron were the pillow in her bed.

"HERMIONE!"

Ron raised his arms, as if touching her was dangerous to his life.

"Hermioneee!" he whined. The small low groan, and a snuggle deeper into his T-shirt told Ron that Hermione had certainly broken her promise to stay awake. Apprehensively Ron lowered his left arm, little by little, to the only place it could go, around Hermione's shoulder.

"Fair enough, you know the essay I told you Snape assigned? I stole your notes and finished it two days ago," he smiled down at the top of her head, "I don't believe this, here I am after five years and holding a girl, with her arms around me, on a couch, alone and it's my bossy, brainy, bushy-haired _Hermione_." Ron looked up as if he were trying to see his inner thoughts then snorted a short laugh and said, "But it could be worse, you know, Harry could be the one lying in my lap," he laugh for a little, but then he looked down and his smile vanished, "and drooling into my shirt."

Hermione repositioned her head, so Ron could see face shinning in the ever dimming fire light. Ron was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling that he couldn't look away from her.

"No… no, I don't mean that really. I mean you can be a little bossy and no matter what you're always right and your hair is… O.K., O.K. so I do mean it… but… but…"

His voice was cracking, and his mouth was dry.

"_Victor-?…_," Hermione breathed out suddenly.

Ron's brow furrowed and he closed eyes shut tight, as if trying to re-think his words, or maybe, try not to cry.

"So, that's who you think I am," Ron mumbled, his chuckling smile disappeared yet again, "figures, aye?"

Strangely very tired in a matter of a second Ron rubbed his eyes and carefully tried to release himself from Hermione's grip, but couldn't. Seeing as he was trapped, Ron kicked off his sneakers and leaned his head back drifted fast asleep.

"Ron… Ron … Hermione… wake up, you'll be late, we let you sleep through breakfast, come on."

"What do you think happened?"

"I dunno, not anything too interesting. Ron'd be too much of a prat to try anything."

"True."

Harry's and Ginny's voices were coming from very near by, but Ron did not want to wake up to satisfy them with the story of the happenings of last night.

"Let's not say anything 'til there they tell us, don't bring hopes up, you know."

Ron waited to hear the two of them climbed out into the corridor before he blinked awake in to the sun light pouring in to the circular room. He was lying sideways on the couch now. He lifted his head a little ways and squinted around the common room. He glanced behind him, to find Hermione still dozing peacefully, with one arm limply draped over his side and the other bent under her hair which quivered in the way of her soft breathes. He got up and walked to a window over looking the grounds, holding his head in the base of his hands, sliding his fingers swiftly through his hair, leaned his head back, and supported his neck tightly, lacing his fingers. Starring up at the brightened sky, he resolved he would never say anything having to do with that night, that it would just be ridiculous, and embarrassing.

April started of their sixth year, and O.W.L.s were rounding the corner for fifth years. They were all sitting down to breakfast, Ron linked to Lavender in a side crushing squeeze around his ribs. Ginny came lazily staggering in and plummeted onto the bench next Hermione.

"What's up with you?" Ron called across the table.

"I'm tired. I didn't sleep again, it's my O.W.L.s," Ginny whined.

"Ah, O.W.L.'s, thank god you only take them once," Ron reminisced.

"Ron's right Gin," Hermione said looking Ginny up and down knowingly, " There's nothing strange about it, just about everyone gets that way this time of year," she added reassuringly, " I remember, last year I dreamt some of the strangest things from studying far too much. Once I found myself jumping off, the ship, Titanic and swam out to sea, I saw a rubber raft and clang to it for dear life," at these words Ron's head sprang up and turned to Hermione, is she talking about the same dream that night_?_, he thought and listened attentively to each detail, "then I floated to rowboat and got inside, but when I did, I saw professor McGonagall and Queen Victoria already in there.

Suddenly, like a spark meeting a candle's wick, the name Victoria struck a fire in Ron's mind. That was what she tried to say in her sleep never Victor at all!

"Anyway, the boat started moving upward, and I looked down, the boat was flying out of the water, and when I looked up again Victoria and McGonagall were gone and Harry was there with a bow and arrow looking at me funny. Then Harry said something like, 'would you like to tell me something?' and I said, 'tell you what?' then he said, 'well I guess I have to do it the hard way' so then he shoots me out of the boat!" she begins to chuckle as everyone else around is already laughing at this point, accept Ron, whom has his mouth hanging wide open.

"So I start falling through the clouds, when finally I see someone standing on a cloud and they caught me," she shrugged; she stopped talking and began eating again.

"Well?" came Ron's voice impatiently when he realized the story ended.

"Well what?" Hermione's brow furrowed.

"Well who caught you?" said Ron a little less eager.

"Oh," she shrugged again, "I dunno the dream changed completely after that and I never saw his face."

Ron smacked his palm to his forehead, almost imitating Harry's reaction to the pain that sometimes occurred from his scar.

"Won-Won!?" Lavender cried, "Are you alright?"

"Huh," he replied as if just noticing she was beside him just then, "Oh y-yeah, I umm, I forgot I needed to look for a book I lost," he said stiffly making an excuse, shifting his eyes all around him counting all the people who just saw him lash out, "Got to go!" he said quickly sliding through Lavender's death grip, and quick walked out of the Great Hall, cursing himself under his breath. (Later he was found, by Harry, on the floor of the boys' dormitories banging his head against the wall near his bed.)


	2. ALTERNATE ENDING AT LAST!

The Alternate Ending! What could have happened if instead of Harry finding Ron, Hermione did!

Firstly I'd like to thank all who originally signed up for the alerts on this story, who with out which I would have never been motivated to write this. I'm very much on the fence about how I feel for this alternate ending, I'd really like to know your thoughts! But I do hope you enjoy!

Alternate Ending: Ow...ow...ow...ow...

Ron sat on the rug of the boys' dormitory, repetitive hitting his head against the wall. As he bounced his cranium against the flagstone he remembered each of the ridiculous things he'd done thanks to that dream, he just found out he so wrongly mistook.

Since the end of fourth year, he'd been totally open with himself that he did, in fact, harbor feeling of the more then friendly kind toward Hermione. But there were so many things in the way, Harry for starters.

Whether or not she fancied his best friend over him, which was a whole separate topic, Harry also posed other problems. Being friends with him caused both Ron and Hermione to put him at their first and foremost concern. They couldn't go off and have a romance, or what ever Ron wanted between them, while their friend battled the most evil wizard of any time. It would be selfish, to say the least and what if it didn't even work out? Harry would be then doomed to choose between friends and ultimately cut ties with the other. And what if he chose Hermione? And what if they got together?! And what if _that _worked out!?

This, of course, led to the notion that Harry was the guy Hermione had her hopes on, from the start. It's horrible to think, but it wouldn't surprise Ron, if that be the case. Harry, after all did seem to have everything, the fame, the fortune, the talent, the glory…only fitting he got the beautiful girl. Ron was just the sidekick.

But after listening to that dream, it didn't sound like Harry was the one she wanted, but instead the middle man that knew who she did.

Which left Krum. Viktor. _Vicky._ As odd as it was, when he retraced his steps, Krum was the source of the trouble. If Hermione hadn't gone to the Yule Ball with the pumpkin head, and if he hadn't _kissed_ her, Ron wouldn't have misinterpreted what she said that night, and things would probably be relatively different.

But she had. And he did. And when she said that name, everything was put in perspective for Ron. Hermione liked Krum end of story.

Through, when sixth year came, Ron began to doubt that, against his better judgment, when she asked him to the Christmas party. At which point Ginny had to open her big mouth and tell him, that he was the only one in the world who hadn't kissed anyone younger then his great Aunt Muriel, and more importantly that Hermione had done so.

So not only crushed that by what she'd done, he was jealous, for the very reason Ginny had called him out on. He began thinking he was saving the experience in false hope. He was sixteen, just a few months away from being of age, no less, and seeing as the girl he wanted wasn't saving herself for anyone in particular, why should he? He got his wish just weeks later, when Lavender fell into his lap. That was a disaster. Ron nearly ruined his and Hermione's friendship alone, and he was still stuck with the girl! From the start they hadn't been much good at anything else but kiss. Quite simply they had nothing in common; well, neither did he and Hermione, but at least Hermione could give him a half decent conversation (as long as it didn't involve spew). All Lavender seemed to care about was clothes and gossip (and of course the delusion that Ron actually loved her). Ron found it was particularly painful if the subjects mixed, when he was roped in to a discussion about a particular Hufflepuff girl that allegedly was wearing out of season robes, 'it's a bloody set of school robes, their all the same!!' he wanted to say when asked his opinion.

He thanked Merlin, the day after his birthday, when Hermione forgave him and they were back on good terms.

But now with this dream out in the open and not what he thought, what could happen now?

In his self-hating spiral of giving himself a headache, Ron didn't notice someone's entrance into the room.

Hermione cautiously tip-toed in to the boy's dormitory. Over the horizon of Ron's bed, she saw the distinct mop of red hair bobbing back and forth against the wall. She crept on to his bed and lay down across its width, leaning on her elbows. He had a horribly morose look of concentration plastered to his face, and his long body slumped back, as he continuously hit his head, there was an audible, and painful sounding 'knock' each time it made contact.

"Are you trying to crack your skull open?" Hermione asked casually.

"Oh!" Ron jumped from his depressive reverie, "Just thinking." He answered quietly.

"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione reached out a hand to his forehead, slightly worried.

"M'fine!" he snapped, flinching away, not wanting her to touch him.

"What's up with you?!" she snapped back, hurt at his out lash.

"Nothing I'm fine!" Ron stood indignantly.

"'Didn't look fine at breakfast. And you didn't look fine a moment ago when you were trying break your head open 'thinking'," Hermione accused, getting up, too, kneeling on the bed to match his height.

"Alright, I'm sick this! You want to know? I was thinking if I split my head open, and maybe got a good look at my thoughts, from the outside, maybe I could figure out why you keep doing this to me!"

"ME?!" Hermione screeched, "What did I do?" she was at loss for a moment, as she thought, and choked out the words in a calmer voice, "I… is this about the dream I mentioned downstairs, Ron what could have possibly made you upset? It was just a silly dream, it didn't mean a thing!"

"Maybe to you," he mumbled back.

"What?"

"Hermione?" Ron looking for a better way to approach to the subject, "Do you remember when you had that dream?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked grudgingly, not exactly sounding like she didn't understand.

"Like, I dunno, did you have it during Christmas at Sirius'?" he suggested casually, "Or maybe the night before O.W.L.'s? Or maybe..." his temper got the best of him at this point, "...on the common room couch, with your bloody arms wrapped around me?!"

"When'd that happen?" Hermione's brow furrowed furiously, blushing.

"Well, according to that dream, right about the time you grabbed onto that raft!"

"Ronald, you're talking jibberish, you have totally lost me!" Ron sighed and sat down next to her, deciding just to explain it.

"There was a night, in fifth year; I was up late finishing homework and you never went to bed for some reason. You decided to stay up with me, but you fell asleep, and you had that dream, and when you thought you were grabbing that raft, you grabbed on to me around the middle, and…well you mumbled the name _victor_," he sneered the name, " and I thought… I thought—I'm just a git, this is stupid." He stopped, knowing he was making a fool out of himself, as he tugged at this loose thread on his tangled web of secrets.

"What? You thought I meant, Viktor Krum?" Hermione said incredulously, "Ron why would you, we're just friends!"

"Yes well, Hermione I don't know if you realize this, but it isn't the best thing to do, when you say a bloke's name, while you're in some other guy's arms!"

"Well I didn't even know I was holding on to you, and how am I to help what I mumble in my sleep?"

"Hermione you don't get it!" Ron stood up again, in irritation, "when you did that, it was like you sealed fate! It was like you told me I didn't have a chance at it!"

"Chance at what?"

"AT YOU!" he yelled, as all his secrets unraveled freely, "At this!" he threw his arms out wildly between them, "When you said that name, I thought Krum was who you wanted, and who the hell am I to stand in the way! Then, I found out you kissed the git! Well, you don't just kiss people you don't fancy!"

"Well that's not hypocritical at all," Hermione snorted, standing from the bed. She phased out of her concentration on his words, when she said that last part.

"Excuse me?" Ron shot back hotly, walking toward her to argue her properly.

"Please, Ron, if that were true, you wouldn't be molesting Lavender every second of the day!"

"Well you seem to have broken the rule, so why can't I?"

"You're such a prat!" she spat, and then hollered furiously, "Rule!? Does that mean I should snog you?"

"Well do you fancy me?!" Ron retorted, in an equally annoyed fashion.

"What have we been talking about here, you git," Hermione yelled in reply, she fisted the front of his robes in her hands, and yanked him down to her eye-level, and carried on the motion to kiss him, deeply.

It wasn't a desperate rush, as Lavender always seemed to do, but rather angrier. All their spite and frustration and their rage was coursing between them, through this rough crash of lips and teeth. Ron held her arms, sternly, holding his own against her.

Hermione finally released his robes and the moment ended. She turned to make her leave, but Ron still had his hands clamping her arms to her side. He held her to spot, and this time was the one to capture her in the kiss.

There was less effort to this one; it was almost natural, like it had happened thousands of times before, but the fact that it hadn't made it all the more enticing. Their arms slide around one another, to seal their embrace. All emotions possible were enveloped in the passion of mouths moving in sync.

They parted for good, but Ron caught his breath, as he rested his chin in her fringe.

"We're screwed, aren't we?" he finally spoke, with half-hearted mirth and a soft chuckle.

"Weren't we always?" Hermione spoke mundanly into his chest, but returned the smile into his shirt.

THE END

This is what you get when I make a promise to you guys, and I finally devote three hours a night for a week, where I jot down the most off the top of my head thoughts and turn them in to an alternate ending. It was kinda exciting, I honestly had no inntention of doing this to begin with, I had no idea how to go about it, I liked the challenge. So I hope you liked it, if not then you guys are still awesome for reading.

Reviews and critiques are always the best way to show you care!


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